LCC Veteran’s Day program peers into three perspectives

Lined up before a Lenoir Community College audience, three people from the school shared their paths into — and out of — the military during a Monday celebration.

Jessika Morgan / Staff Writer

Lined up before a Lenoir Community College audience, three people from the school shared their paths into — and out of — the military during a Monday celebration.

Facilitated by Richy Huneycutt — LCC’s director of marketing, recruiting and communications — the program spotlighted the trio’s challenges, roles and connections to the civilian world.

They said they all made use of one important trait when going from their military to civilian lives.

Leadership was the unanimous quality former U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Evelyn Kelly, retired Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Lee Gardner and current U.S. Army National Guard Aviation Operational Spc. Paul Whittington singled out.

“I can deal with different scales of problems,” Kelly said, who serves as LCC’s Dean of Arts and Sciences. “You become a very good judge of character.”

Kelly’s initial plan was to avoid the military, but was persuaded by her two sisters after she graduated high school.

Gardner, LCC’s Director of Safety, chose to join the Marines after he saw many of his family members wind up with successful careers after 20-year service stints.

“I wanted to pattern myself after one of them,” he said, “and in doing so, I was granted a reward.”

Whittington, an LCC student and the group’s rookie who’s been serving the country since 2008, always wanted to join the military, although he was unsure of which branch to chose.

“I joined because it’s a way to give back to my family, my friends, to everybody,” he said.

He sees the military as a calling where you can learn a lot about yourself.

“I never realized before I went to basic (training) how undisciplined (and) how unorganized I was,” Whittington said.

He added leadership skills and discipline are things he takes to his “job in the civilian world.”

Gardner said boot camp helped him become tougher because of those factors.

“Once you learn the 14 leadership traits, you keep them for the rest of your life,” he said.

His greatest challenge was being faced with dangerous situations with lives on the line, especially with the stillness of the vast waters distracting him.

Kelly said her challenge was being the only female in her various jobs and constantly having to prove herself.

“I would challenge (men) all the time and pick up stuff that was too heavy for me just to flex,” she said.

Whittington said he’s still has to adapt to having a “new lifestyle.”

The three encouraged military prospects to join.

“One of the main reasons that we provide a program for our veterans is because we want to say ‘thank you,’” said LCC Veteran Affairs Coordinator Judy Blackwell. “Their service in the military gives us our freedom so we love to honor them at our college.”

Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.